Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to this debate on the National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 3) Bill 2023. In the last two years of this parliament, we have seen the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, block and oppose pretty much all the other things that the government wants to do. But when it comes to the issue of national security, or to whipping up fear about immigration or trampling on the human rights of Australians and those who stand up for our freedoms, you know what? The two major parties are in lock step. Whenever it comes to an issue of national security, they close the doors; they work out the deal between themselves behind closed doors. It's the blokes looking after each other—and probably getting all a bit giddy about the terms 'national security' and 'defence' and the different technologies available. I can just imagine the defence minister right now being absolutely excited about the new toys that he's going to buy with the new expanded defence budget handed down last night. If there is anything that you can take as guaranteed in this place, it's that, when it comes to national security, when it comes to defence and when it comes to beating up on migrants and the issue of immigration, the major parties will be in lock step.

And who's standing for the real freedoms of Australians in this place? It is the crossbench. It is the Greens. Over and over again, we've asked: 'Where is the scrutiny? Where is the justification for the overblown budgets? Where is the justification for the secrecy?' Now we ask: 'Where is the justification for jailing a man of integrity and courage for nearly seven years?' As for the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, the only thing you can guarantee that they'll agree on is: when it comes to beating up on everyday Australians' freedoms and human rights, they'll get in the room, they'll close the door and they'll get all giddy about it.

This piece of legislation has some improvements, but it does not go anywhere near what we need for expanded transparency and accountability in this space. In fact, it does the opposite. There's more crackdown on FOI availability. There are the exemptions from transparency for further government agencies in this space.

But I really want to raise the question of what on earth these two major parties have done over the last few years to stand up for the freedoms and the protection of those who dare to speak the truth—the whistleblowers who dare to speak the truth about what's going on in the name of the honour of Australian democracy. David McBride is a hero, and you failed him. Both sides failed him. It is an absolute disgrace that the first person imprisoned in this country in relation to war crimes is the person who exposed that this was going on. It is absolutely backwards. You don't have the courage in your convictions to stand up for the true freedoms that our brave defence personnel fight for every day, like the protection of human rights, democracy and freedom of the press. You're gutless. The only person jailed in this country for war crimes is the one that has exposed them.

That's not to mention billionaire media moguls funding court cases to cover the backsides of those with big question marks over their heads. Did you do anything about that? Did you concern yourselves with the national security implications of a media mogul billionaire covering the legal costs of a war criminal? You did nothing. You've done nothing. No wonder the Australian people are sick and tired of hearing your bleak, limp offerings on human rights protection and freedom of the press.

I know my colleagues on the Greens crossbench here have spoken eloquently about all the other issues in relation to this bill, and I commend them for putting it on the record today. On the fate of Australian citizen Julian Assange, what have you done? It's pretty much nothing. He's an Australian citizen who has stood up for the protection of human rights, the freedoms of Australians and democracy around the world, and you've done nothing. You've let him rot in a prison on the other side of the world and used him as a political pawn in your diplomatic negotiations. If he ever does get back to Australia, he's a shell of the man he was when you allowed him to be locked up.

Your inconsistency with the freedoms that you like to protect and promote is just galling. The only thing we can trust both sides on is the inconsistency. You say one thing at the UN and do another thing here. You say one thing to your mates in Washington and do another thing here. You say one thing behind closed doors and don't even tell the Australian people what you're signing the public up to. The secrecy reeks in this national security space, and it has been an increasing problem. We know that. Legal experts continue to say to us in our Senate inquiries, over and over and over again, that the giddiness of the Labor and the Liberal parties about national security while locked behind closed doors with spooks is just pathetic.

How about putting in some proper protections, like a human rights act, to tell the Australian people that you do care about their actual freedoms, their protections and their rights? This bill will pass today because both major parties love playing footsies under the table on national security, even at the expense of whistleblowers and the freedoms of everyday Australians and journalists. They're so quick to ram these types of laws through and very slow to do anything that actually protects the rights of whistleblowers and journalists to speak and report the truth. I look forward to hearing the minister's response.